The Broken Man
by Monkey and Music Lover
Summary: Set in the future. House is finally broken when words of hate are said, can anyone fix him? Huddy Family Story, one-shot rated T for some words


**Disclaimer: I do not own House ( sadly)**

**A/N: Alright here is another one shot. It's pretty sad. My friend, Southern Cowgirl, forced me to write this so this is for her. It's a little OOC so I have to apologize. I'd like to thank my beta **Iane Casey** for editing this. I hope you enjoy**

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Rachel sat outside the auditorium waiting for her father to come pick her up. She decided to get ahead in her school work and cracked open her history book and began reading her assignment. Her sun was suddenly blocked and she looked up to find Michael, the running back for the football team, smiling.

"Hey baby," he said to her, as he took a seat on top of the table. "What's a cute, young girl doing out here all alone?"

"I'm waiting for my dad, who'll kick your ass if he sees you." Rachel told him bluntly. He simply smiled his irresistible smile and Rachel gave him a quick peck on the lips. "Now seriously, my dad said if he ever found out I was going out with someone he'll take that guy to the hospital. Run very dangerous and painful experiments and then kill you slowly on the surgical table without putting you to sleep." She warned. "And my mom agrees and is actually gonna let him."

Michael chuckled. "I doubt he'll actually do all that just to kill me." He stated confidently. "Anyways, I don't see him around. Do you?" He asked her jokily as he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek.

Rachel rolled her eyes, smiled and surrendered. "No," She told him as she laid her head comfortably on his shoulder. "And you're right, he won't do that, but he will at least try to drown you and make it look like an accident." Michael put a reassuring arm around her and she closed her eyes and relaxed.

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House drove around the school to find the auditorium. Maybe he really should have listened to his wife when she gave him specific instructions on how to find the place. He didn't really pay attention during the parent orientation, but how could he when all the people speaking were idiots. He so desperately wanted to tell them, but a threat from both his wife _and_ daughter were scary enough to keep him quiet, at least for that night.

When he finally saw a group of teenagers he looked around for his daughter. Once he saw her he was relieved then was suddenly filled with pure anger. He got out of the car, grabbed his cane and limped over to where he saw his daughter sitting and cuddling with some guy.

"Get your hands off my daughter," He said pulling the young boy up and practically throwing him off of his daughter.

"Dad no!" Rachel screamed holding her father back from beating up her boyfriend. Michael stood up and looked frightfully at House.

"You are too young Rachel, too young to date! And you," House pointed to the young football star. "If you get near my daughter again, I'll make sure your death is slow and painful." He threatened.

Rachel balled her hand into a fist and anger boiled inside her. "House, stop it," she yelled making her father turn and look at her in shock and hurt. "Leave Michael alone! You're not even my real dad!"

House's face suddenly turned solemn and he turned towards the car. He began slowly limping towards it with Rachel watching him angrily. "I'll wait in the car," he said quietly without stopping or turning to look at his 16 year old daughter's face.

Rachel ran over to her boyfriend and helped him. "Are you okay?" She asked him concerned. He smiled at her and nodded. "I'm sorry about my dad. Even my mom says he can be such an ass sometimes."

"It's cool," Michael told her understandingly. He picked up her books and gave her back her backpack. "You should go now, don't wanna keep the monster waiting." Rachel smiled. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek before running towards the car.

Rachel got in the car and fastened her seat belt. House began to drive, the radio was off and neither one talked. This was new to Rachel. Usually her dad had the radio on as loud as he could and he'd be singing to whatever song was playing. The car ride was fast and silent, at first it worried Rachel but she simple brushed it off.

Once they got home, they noticed Cuddy's car and Rachel was happy to see that her mother was home early. They parked the car in the driveway and Rachel ran in to give her mom a hug. House walked in slowly and still didn't talk.

"Hey sweetie," Cuddy greeted him, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "Don't worry, your food will be ready soon and we can finally relax a little later. Maybe go for a fun motorcycle ride into that wide strip of road you love riding on so much." House didn't respond and Cuddy looked at him worriedly. She caressed his cheek and asked, "Greg, are you alright?"

"Yeah," House responded simply. Once Cuddy let go of him and stood flatly on the ground, House walked past her and went slowly up into their bed room.

Cuddy watched him walk away, her face dripping with worry and concern. "What's wrong with your father?" Cuddy turned to her daughter who simply shrugged. She sighed deeply. "Watch the pasta. I'm going to talk to your dad." Cuddy instructed, and getting a mumbled 'uh-huh' back.

Cuddy ran upstairs and tried to open the door. It was looked. She sighed and slouched and began to call through the door. "Greg, open up." She told him. No response. "Greg, if you open up now there could be a prize hiding behind door number 1." She said in a low voice.

"There's a bathroom behind door number one," House tried to joke dryly. Though he heard his wife chuckle, not a sound came from his own lips. He suddenly saw the door knob jingle and the door swing open slowly to reveal his wife standing there.

"I know where the key is," she told him smirking. Cuddy walked over to the bed and laid her head down her on her husband's chest. "Sweetie what's wrong? Did something happen at Rachel's school?"

"Is Rachel or I dead or beaten up?" House deflected. This threw Cuddy back, House rarely deflected when it came to her. When House saw the concern fill Cuddy's face he rolled his eyes. "Calm down, everything's fine Cuddy." He said. He then cursed himself, realizing that he just gave himself away.

Cuddy gasped and furrowed her brows. "Greg, you don't call me that unless we're at work or having a fight. What's wrong? Did I do something?" Her eyes suddenly got wet as panic began to flow through her veins.

House sighed and pulled her into his arms. He began to sooth her and slightly rocked her back and forth. "It's not you, Lisa. I promise, you didn't do anything wrong."

Cuddy looked at him, begging with her eyes. "Please Greg, tell me what's wrong." She snuggled into his chest, like a puppy begging for attention.

"Rachel," he paused and looked away, "Said I wasn't really her father."

Cuddy looked at him with shock. He wasn't the sentimental type and he wouldn't care usually. Then again, with their past Cuddy understands why it suddenly bothered him. He had taught Rachel how to play piano, he witnessed her first steps and her first word was Dada, and she said it to him. House broke down his walls for Rachel and raised her as if she were his own flesh and blood.

"Well, why don't we get something to eat. Man hungry for woman's food," House said, putting up his defense wall.

Cuddy had known House long enough to know not to push him when he got defensive. She gave him a small smile and nodded. They got up from bed and went back downstairs to see Rachel fixing each of them a plate of pasta. They all sat and ate as Rachel told them about her day at school, for the most part. House stayed silent and played with his food. Cuddy half listened to her daughter as she tried to think of a reasonable time to talk to her about the after-school incident.

After they finished eating, Cuddy washed the dishes and asked House about the motorcycle ride. He quickly got on his jacket and helmet and waited for Cuddy outside. She grabbed her own jacket, refreshed Rachel's memory about the rules and went outside with House.

They rode down a long, deserted road that House loved to ride through and stopped at a field. They sat down and relaxed for half an hour before they hopped back on House's bike and went back home.

The same as earlier that evening, House hurried in without a word and went straight to his room. Cuddy followed slowly. Rachel came out, it was 8 pm and her father usually began to play the piano for them. She saw her father retreat into his room and looked at her mother sadly.

"Mom, why isn't dad playing the piano?" Rachel asked furrowing her brows in disappointment.

Cuddy sighed. "You broke his heart, Rachel. He raised you with me and treated you like his own flesh and blood. You broke him by saying - even if he knows - that he wasn't even your father over a guy you barely even knew," Cuddy said in a quiet tone laced with sadness and disappointment. She then walked away to finish her job in the kitchen.

Rachel looked down in remorse. She slowly walked up to her father's room and knocked quietly.

"Cuddy, I told you, no late night sex until the spawn is asleep." House yelled through the door.

Rachel slowly opened the door and looked at her father sadly. He had never called her a spawn, not even when he was upset with her. House saw it wasn't Cuddy and acted like he didn't see her. She slowly approached the bed and crawled in resting her head on his chest.

"Dad," she said trying not to cry, "I'm sorry." He didn't listen. He simply held his walls up higher. Rachel's tears began to slide down her cheeks. "Daddy, I didn't mean anything I said. I was just really mad. Please daddy, talk to me. I'm sorry." She sobbed into his chest. House tried hard not to put a comforting arm around his baby girl as she broke down in front of him. When he didn't respond, Rachel realized how badly she had really hurt her father. She looked up at him and wiped away her tears. She got up from the bed and walked to the door. "I'm really sorry daddy," she said before walking out.

House watched her disappear into the hallway and saw a five year old girl who had just broken his favorite guitar. He had come to visit Cuddy and decided to bring his guitar. The little girl was amused by the new contraption and began to play with it. He left it alone for five minutes and came back to see the guitar strings ruined and the wood scratched. He was so infuriated, but he held his mouth and just went home. After a few minutes of drinking, there was a knock on his door and he saw a five year old crying, begging for his forgiveness.

Rachel wiped her tears away and tried to finish her homework in her room. She sighed as she tried to forget what happened and read her textbook. Her mind was everywhere though, she was thinking about her dad, that afternoon, Michael, and what might happen tomorrow.

Her mind was quickly pulled out when she heard something downstairs. She got out of her room and confirmed it wasn't her hallucinating. She ran downstairs and found her father playing the piano; it was the first song she ever heard him play. The song that he had written just for her whenever she wasn't in a good mood. She smiled and sat beside her dad as she listened to his magical melody.

"You know, this doesn't mean I forgive you," House told her jokily, as he continued to play. She smiled, knowing that he didn't mean it.

"I know," Rachel smiled, giving her father hug.

"I love you, too."

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**Alright where there it is, I'd appriciate reviews, love it or hate it. Thanks!**


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